Republic of Somaliland’s Minister of Information, Barkhad Jama Batuun, has issued a sharp rebuttal to his Somalia counterpart’s claim that the people of Somaliland oppose Israel’s recognition of their nation.
In a strongly worded statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Minister Barkhad emphasized unbreakable national consensus: “For 35 years, our people and the successive governments that have led the country have been united on the independence of the Republic of Somaliland, and it is not something that will be changed by the lies the Mogadishu government is publishing in the media!”
He dismissed Mogadishu’s narrative as ineffective propaganda, asserting that the world has already acknowledged Somaliland’s remarkable state-building achievements — including credible elections, robust democracy, stability, and peaceful security.
Crucially, Barkhad hailed Israel’s recognition as a pivotal breakthrough: “Israel has become the key to the recognition of our statehood and the self-determination of our people, which is based on the decision by the people of the Republic of Somaliland to reclaim their statehood that was lost in 1960.”
Somaliland officials view the move as validation of their democratic governance and a catalyst for broader international acceptance after decades of isolation since restoration of independence in 1991.